[GJD]

I'm looking to get a general feel for Taurus revolvers. I would like to get a model 617 7-shot 357 magnum with a 2" barrel. I want to use it as a plinker as well as for home defense. I plan to put a few thousand rounds through it a year. How does Taurus stand up for long term usage? Thanks.

- GJD 8)

 

[godadone]

I have a 617. More than 2000 rounds through it with ZERO problems.

 

[rainman]

While only owning two Taurus revolvers compared to some on this forum that own several, I have been delighted in the functionality of these wheel guns. Please remember you get what you pay for. Is the Taurus trigger as smooth in DA as an S&W? Probably not in most cases. Is the fit and finish better? Again probably not. Is it a good weapon for the money spent? Absolutely! I shoot religiously once a week and put anywhere from two to three hundred rounds down range each trip. The Tracker 22 has never had a hiccup, and while the 608 .357mag is still rather new, I’ve yet to have any issues. If you want to save a few hundred dollars and own a well made reliable revolver then Taurus should be on you shopping list.

 

[45 Forever]

I have a 20 plus year old 38 m85 that looks brand new and shoots plus p and everything else I put in never a problem and as it was my Dads back up gun and mine for the last five years I shoot the thing like crazy and it just keeps on ticking

 

[NativeTexan]

Actually, I prefer some Taurus revolver designs to equivalent Smith and Wesson designs. My M85 has about the slickest DA trigger around and always goes bang, thousands of rounds through it. I like the forcing cones of my M66s and the slightly beefier frame in the forcing cone area to my K frame Smiths. I've had a Smith crack the flat area at the bottom of the forcing cone and since hear that it is a problem with the K frames, probably a reason they don't make the 19 anymore. Oh, I like old Smiths, but I'm just sayin'. The new ones, well, I think Taurus is just as good. Check 'em out before you purchase. A few come off the presses with timing problems and such from what I gather and it might take a while to get the gun back if you ship it in. But, I've never had such a problem. Of course, I check any gun out before purchase. I think Smith and Wesson and Ruger might have a little better turn around time on repairs, never had to do that with a Ruger and the one problem I had with a Smith, I had rebarreled by a local gunsmith. It was an older gun.

My Taurus revolvers are as reliable as ANY Smith. You cannot improve on 100 percent reliability. However, Ruger revolvers are stronger designs. That has nothing to do with reliability, but I'd suspect a Ruger would put a Smith or Taurus revolver to shame in number of loads it could handle before servicing. No matter as I'll never wear a revolver out and even if I shot that much, Taurus is lifetime warrantied.

 

[bjf41]

As for the trigger of Taurus and S&W. I was compairing a Taurus 850 and a S&W Centenial. The Taurus looked better to me. But what finally sold me was the trigger pull. The Taurus was smooth. The S&W was not even close. I am not saying that all Taurus are smoother than S&W, but mine definately is. I love my 850 and have yet to wish I bought the S&W instead.

Bill

 

[Tracker Backer C45]

My model 441 in .44 special has a fantastic DA trigger, smooth as butter.

TB C45

 

[NOWUS]

Tracker series does not have a positive latch in the forward part of the crane,
(tapered pin under spring pressure )
This is a poor design, especially with the Titanium ( light weight ) magnum revolvers...
Repeated shooting will loosen the frame pivot , etc ....

Ragging Bull series , much better....

 

[joe sixpack]

have a 627 tracker, so far no probs but i've only got about 100 38spl and about 50 .357's in it so i can't really say.

 

[joe sixpack]

Tracker series does not have a positive latch in the forward part of the crane,
(tapered pin under spring pressure )
This is a poor design, especially with the Titanium ( light weight ) magnum revolvers...
Repeated shooting will loosen the frame pivot , etc ....

Ragging Bull series , much better....

im not quite sure i know what you're talking about, do you have any pictures to illustrate what you mean?

 

[grouchy hippo]

I find it hard to complain about something with a lifetime guarantee. I like the fit and feel of mine (a 85 and a PT145) though the 38 hurt my hand for some reason.

 

[Desertrat]

Never had a problem with mine.

 

[Justice4all]

Tracker series does not have a positive latch in the forward part of the crane,
(tapered pin under spring pressure )
This is a poor design, especially with the Titanium ( light weight ) magnum revolvers...
Repeated shooting will loosen the frame pivot , etc ....

Ragging Bull series , much better....

I believe they do, at least every one I've picked up or the two I own do. That is, if you are referring to the semi circular cutout in the frame and the captive chisel shaped lock in the crane, just forward of the cylinder.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the original poster, I'm about to buy my seventh Taurus tomorrow, a Tracker 2" .44 Mag with the fiber sight. Can't wait. Out of the six I currently own, I've had zero problems, and my PT 1911 is coming up on 3000 rounds with nothing wrong other than the follower of the stock mag failing. So far the only brands that I've owned that haven't had any or just minor issues with have been Taurus, CZ and Marlin.

After tomorrow, I will have only Taurus handguns. Why? Because they do everything I want them to do and don't cause me to regret purchasing them. The icing on the cake is their lifetime warranty that follows the gun, not the owner. If I do have problems, I'll send it in until I'm satisfied. And since none of the brand new pistols or revolvers I've bought recently have been over $500, It won't be the end of the world if a problem crops up ( $500 and below is to me a cheap or value based gun).

 

[NOWUS]

Justice, good description of the lock ...

My crane ( 41 Mag Ti ) loosens after firing 20 + rounds , a good cleaning tightens it a little,
but firing more rounds loosens it...I do not know if it is a problem unique to my gun,
or with light weight , heavy mags...I should send it back, ( some day ),
But I believe the lock is not a good design for heavier mags in a LW gun ( My opinion ).

As for life time warrenty, not important to me at 69 yrs..Quality is more important,
Normally I would reccomend a Ruger ( but, sadly it seems they are having some quality issues
also, along with S&W; )


I do like the gun, A great woods carry gun, but if it had a positive crane Lock it would be
a much better gun..

Please, I am not bashing, just stating my opinion,

 

[NativeTexan]

As to triggers, the small framed guns that I've tried are far superior in DA to your run of the mill out of the box Smith and Wesson regardless of price and this is just fact. The older hammer block lockwork is not as smooth as the newer transfer bar lockwork. I have an example of each in my M66s. If you're looking at used guns, the transfer bar lockwork is desirable.

 

[Dave85]

I had an issue with the cylinder binding up on my M85 when I purchased it back n '96. Taurus fixed it under warranty (shipping both ways paid by them), and had it back to me in ten days. It has worked flawlessly ever since. I have a M607 that a good friend bought at about the same time I got my 85. He only ever put a couple of boxes through it. I bought it from him about 5 years ago, and have shot it much more than that. It has never failed. These are 12 year old guns, and I understand that they have done some upgrading in their manufacturing processes since then (CNC, etc).

 

[Justice4all]

[/quot

Justice, good description of the lock ...

My crane ( 41 Mag Ti ) loosens after firing 20 + rounds , a good cleaning tightens it a little,
but firing more rounds loosens it...I do not know if it is a problem unique to my gun,
or with light weight , heavy mags...I should send it back, ( some day ),
But I believe the lock is not a good design for heavier mags in a LW gun ( My opinion ).

As for life time warrenty, not important to me at 69 yrs..Quality is more important,
Normally I would reccomend a Ruger ( but, sadly it seems they are having some quality issues
also, along with S&W; )


I do like the gun, A great woods carry gun, but if it had a positive crane Lock it would be
a much better gun..

Please, I am not bashing, just stating my opinion,

Didn't take it as such. In fact, while I was looking for Taurus revolver to purchase I came across a couple of 627's. The odd thing was that nether had the adjustable rear sight or the crane lockup. I'll bet they added the modification to the whole line after many complaints such as yours. I'll have to look at my friends older 44 spcl, which I think is a 441. I'll bet it doesn't have a lock either. On the other hand, my new Tracker .44 Mag has the lock on the crane.


Just so you know, I just picked up this weapon this afternoon and discovered a pretty serious flaw from the factory. That's what I get for slobbering about my other Taurus pistols...

I'm ok with it so far, but we'll see how it goes during the phone call.


Oh, and I have a book on revolver gun smithing that shows how a smith adds the crane lock to the older models that didn't have them. Might just be a $50 job from a decent smith.

 

[Dan31]

My model 441 in .44 special has a fantastic DA trigger, smooth as butter.

TB C45

+1

I have about 1000 thru mine as well with the hottest loads I can buy with nary a hickup.

 

[FrankG]

No complaints, works well! Frank

 

[badge851]

I'm looking to get a general feel for Taurus revolvers. I would like to get a model 617 7-shot 357 magnum with a 2" barrel. I want to use it as a plinker as well as for home defense. I plan to put a few thousand rounds through it a year. How does Taurus stand up for long term usage? Thanks.

- GJD 8)

I've had very good luck on all of my Taurus® revolvers. I have/had 3 Mdl 85's, a 605, 617, & a 669CP. All have served me well with ZERO MALFUNCTIONS! Believe it or not my primary duty gun (grandfathered by Dept) is a 617 with a 85UL serving as my backup & off duty gun (BUG/ODG). The triggers on all are smoother & lighter than my previous two issue guns (S&W® Mdls 19 & 686). I trust my life to these perviously mentioned Taurus® guns every day, nuff said!